Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Stephen Stanley KOTJ: Toronto Mike'd #282

Episode Date: November 15, 2017

Mike and Stephen talk about his career with Lowest of the Low and The Stephen Stanley Band before they play and discuss his ten favourite songs.

And right now, right now, right now it's time to... Take out the champs, motherfuckers! I'm in Toronto where you wanna get the city love I'm from Toronto where you wanna get the city love I'm a Toronto Mike, wanna get the city love My city love me back, for my city love Welcome to episode 282 of Toronto Mike'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, a fiercely independent brewery celebrating 30 years

in the craft beer business. Visit GLB at 30 Queen Elizabeth Boulevard for $5 patio beers. And propertyinthesix.com, Toronto real estate done right. And our newest sponsor, PayTM, an app designed to manage all of your bills in one spot download the app today from paytm.ca i'm mike from torontomike.com and joining me this week to kick out the jams is musician steven. Welcome, Stephen.

Thanks, Mike. How are you? Good. Awesome. Nice to see you. I mean, no, it's really great when a musician, like a professional musician, kicks out the jams because they bring this insight, you know. Guys like me, you know, we kind of, we're like hacks.

We're like, oh, that sounds good, or I like the way that lyric sounds or whatever, but you know what you're talking about. I mean, I don't know if that's true. I think just liking music is liking music. When somebody says to you, tell me your top 10 songs, can you rattle that off, or is it?

No, but I have, like you see in my soundboard, I have these multiple tabs here. The fourth tab here is called My Jams, where I've been trying to bring it down to 10. I think I'm at 13 or something now. But I've been actively working on it, and I've been adding and deleting over the weeks, so I'm close to it.

But I think it changes. I think any given year, you're going to come up. There's a few on my list that are perennials for me, for sure, but then there's others that just sort of float in and out. That's a hard thing to do, especially when, I suspect for you too, you're sort of always surrounded by music. To pick 10 that are your favorite songs.

So I really focused on songs. I didn't focus on bands because I think there's a lot of my favorite bands that aren't included on this list. Right. Yeah. You actually have, I was telling you earlier, you have a jam, your fourth jam.

I don't want to do any spoilers here, but your fourth jam is so long, want to do any spoilers here, but your fourth jam is so long, it would not load into my soundboard. So that's a first in the history of the kick of the jam. So I think the cap on this soundboard is 10 minutes. And once you're higher than 10 minutes, it just doesn't load. That's crazy. So I'm playing it in the VLC player. So I'll be doing some voodoo magic here. We should have dug into some bootlegs on that one. We probably could have found a shorter version.

Well, I'm going to say, I hope you bring a nice long story for that one. Absolutely. Let's tell, you know, obviously the music fans listening know who Stephen Stanley is, but let me tell the rest of the people listening that you are, I guess we'll just tell people

you were the guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter in Lowest of the Low listening that you are, I guess we'll just tell people you were the guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter in Lowest of the Low. I was for many years, for 23 years, I guess. Yeah. And so since you're a founding member. Yes. So maybe can we start by you telling me sort of how Lowest of the Low was founded way back when? Wow, that's going back. It was, wow, I wasn't expecting it.

I have to start with low. First of all, you do realize every episode of this podcast closes with the Lowest of the Low. Oh, I know. You told me that. And I have heard a few where I've gotten that far and heard the song. So it's funny. I have like, you know, I mean, like right now, I'm not in the band anymore. And, you know, it's like, don't really, we didn't have a great falling out. So, well, it's such a good thing as a good falling out.

So how did the band get founded? Well, I think two of the guys, Ron and Dave, were playing in another band together. And the name is escaping me right now. Wow, you're throwing me back here. This is a good 25 years ago. And I met them through a mutual friend, and it just so happens that the guitar player from the original band had just left.

And it took about six months before we finally got into a rehearsal space, for whatever reason. I don't remember what the reasons were. And sort of kicked it off. And that wasn't Lowest to Low. That was a band called Popular Front. And that was probably 1986.

And Lowest to Low started in about 91, I believe. 90 or 91 would have been the starting date. So, yeah, and that was a whirlwind few years, five or six years, and then we broke up for the first time and then the second time and the third time. Well, that's it. So, I mean, I've had Ron Hawkins on the show.

I've peppered him with these questions. But what I would like to know is, I don't know which instance there, but I mean, it sounds like in the mid-90s or whatever, the entire band kind of breaks up. Yeah. And you go off and do other things. But then you guys get back together. 2001.

Yeah, there was a 20th anniversary show at the Horseshoe. You were there. So that was a little bit later. That would have been 2009. Okay, that's right. So many different iterations. That was actually Massey Hall. We finished that tour at Massey Hall. So that was a really cool night.

So tell me why, I guess it's 2013. Is that when you sort of depart the band for good in 2013? I think that's about right. I guess it's 2013, is that when you sort of depart the band for good in 2013? I think that's about right. I think it's been four years and some odd months since. Yeah, so that makes about sense. It's 2017 now, so I guess 2013. Yeah, well, it's a whole sort of tale, I guess.

But, well, it's really not anymore. It's sort of like, you know, four years later, it's all good. They're doing their thing, and I'm doing my thing, and that's cool. And is there anything you're willing to share about why you left the band in 2013? It was really a lot of personal butting of heads and things that weren't really fun anymore for me.

So yeah, I guess that's the easiest way to put it. It's funny, because I sort of knew, putting out a new record, that I'd face some of these questions. And I sort of realized that I didn't really have much of an explanation anymore, except to say that the last year I was in the band wasn't a good year for me.

So it was just time. And I think sometimes we went back to that same well like on three occasions. And I think the third time was just hard. try to try to be philosophical about it now and and uh it's too bad but it was definitely the right thing to do at the time well there's that one jam uh breaking up is hard to do i didn't it's not on your list i noticed it's hard to walk i mean it's like but you know it's like any relationship it's hard to walk away from from something you've done for that long but in other ways, at that moment in time,

I didn't know what was going to happen. And then the next two years, well, I guess it took a little while. It took me about a year and a half to get a new band together. But once I did, then the next two years were quite spectacular for me. So it's been a lot of fun. Is that the Stephen Stanley Band? That's, for lack of a better name, the Stephen Stanley Band. Yeah, we tried to find some sort of

stephen stanley and uh blank blank blanks and literally between four four grown men we couldn't agree on anything so well that's fine i always tell people because a lot of people in radio come on this program and i always say like get your name get your name in the name of the show yeah don't be called the breakfast club because whatever you can slot in anybody but if it's called the uh the stephen stan, well, they really need you. You know what I mean? And then they'll promote it. And then people, you know, hey, you can't just replay.

You need to... Although it didn't work for Valerie Harper, right? Remember Valerie? Apparently it didn't work for Backman Turner Overdrive either. Right. Well, it doesn't always work now that I think about it. But as you, you know, grow up and age, you try to find ways

to avoid obsolescence. That's right. I think that's one way to do it. That's a good name. I like this. So, okay. So let's talk about the Stephen Stanley Band.

Sure. Because, you know, whether you like it or not, we're closing the show with a song from Shakespeare, My Butt. That's great. I mean, you know,

what can I say? I mean, I played on that album. Well, I wasn't sure how comfortable, like, I mean, this is where I would typically heap praise on Shakespeare, My Butt as such an important album to me personally, but I don't know if the wounds are still open. I don't want to hurt, you know what I mean?

No, no, you can say anything you want. I mean, the wounds are not still open for me. I don't have any, I mean, I think there probably were wounds, but they're not open at all. I mean, like wounds are not still open for me. I don't have any, I mean, I think there probably were wounds, but they're not open at all. I mean, I like, I'm being quite sincere. I mean, it's hard to walk away from something like that, but when you, I mean, I really didn't feel I had any choice. And, and also now I feel like it was a perfect decision for me and, and, you know, and I gather they're doing, doing fine and I'm doing fine too. So that's, that's good, I think.

Well, how's this for a question? Is it completely done completely done like or is there any sliver of hope at some point that uh you rejoin the band at some point for me yeah no it's done now just you know i have had this discussion not recorded or anything but with with another famous duo i had a conversation asking are you done because they broke up this famous duo and the guy looked me in the eyes and said, that's it. We're done. There's no chance, no hope, no prayer, whatever. And about, I'm going to say a couple years later, they were back together. So I'm just letting you know.

Is this Simon or Garfunkel? Garfunkel's coming on next week. He's a great interviewer. I think it would be great. You've got great hair, too. Well, I'm used to. You've got pretty good hair, too. I think it would be great. You've got great hair, too. Well, I'm used to. You've got pretty good hair, too. I'm still doing all right.

You're holding on there. And that's not even the Hulk Hogan thing. This is the real deal. This is the real deal. Hulk held on to a ring of fire. That's right. I have some... When it comes to hair,

I've got some good genes in my mom's side, I think. It's half the battle. Okay. Who, tell me, the Stephen Stanley Band. Yes. Besides the obvious, you're in that band, right? I'm in the band still, yeah. Who else is in the Stephen Stanley Band?

So three other principal people, a guy named Chris Rellinger on bass, who is sort of a Toronto guy that's played around. But I just found out this past week that he once played bass for Evan Dando at Lee's Palace. I thought that was kind of cool. He just happened to be in a jam space where Evan was jamming when he showed up in Toronto. By the way, I just realized, speaking of Simon and Garfunkel, the famous Lemonheads cover of Mrs. Robinson

was like a radio staple when I was growing up. And we were discussing that because he didn't honestly know much about that record before he did this show. So they had a week of rehearsals, only one with Evan, and he played a show at Lee's Palace, backing up Evan Dando. I thought, this is the coolest thing,

because that album was huge for me. I loved that record. Yeah, what was it called again? Never mind. It's a shame about Ray. It's a shame about Ray. Okay, so at that time, I was listening to whatever they were called at the time,

Edge 102 or CFNY, whatever. And I distinctly remember like the one group of songs, remember it was Mrs. Robinson, the great cover by the Lemonheads and Henry Needs a New Pair of Shoes, Back to Back. And I distinctly remember

they were both being played quite a bit at the same time. So if that's the case, that would have been like probably in 91 or 92. And one of those two years, we were the most played Canadian band on 102 or whatever they were called. Not surprising at all. Yeah, those were crazy years.

And really, we went from like 0 to 60 in a matter of nine months. We didn't make that record thinking anything was going to happen. And then something crazy happened in Ontario and in Buffalo and then a few places across Canada. And then we sort of didn't stick that record thinking anything was going to happen. And then something crazy happened in Ontario and in Buffalo. Yeah. And then a few places across Canada.

And then we sort of, you know, we didn't stick around long enough the first time to really make a go of it. And then I think sort of the off and on back and forth over the years. You know, it's fine, but it doesn't sort of help the overall momentum of a band. What was the great, Julianne Hatfield. Yeah. So they were together at the time, I remember. Julianne Hatfield 3, I think was the name of the band. I remember seeing a show at Lee's Palace

where Julianne Hatfield was playing and I think Evan came out for a couple songs or something like that. Yeah, that's a good time in music, man. So there you go. Okay, so Chris is connected to Evan. It took him two and a half years to tell this story. I don't think he thinks it's that important,

but I thought it was pretty cool. But he didn't know that you were going to be on this show where it's exciting to talk about. Where we lead off with the story. Should I play a track from Jimmy and the Moon, which I haven't even got to while you talk? Sure. Because I have Jimmy and the Moon here.

What song should I start with anyways? We'll just put in the background. Maybe play Jimmy and the Moon then.'ll just put in the background. Why don't you, I mean, maybe, oh, for a background song, maybe play like Jimmy and the Moon then. Okay. That's the title track. Jimmy and the Moon.

Jimmy, okay, so you're going to tell me, so that's Chris Rellinger who's the bassist. And our drummer's a guy named Gregor Beresford and Gregor is known

for playing with the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir and then played with Tom Cochran, played with David Wilcox, and has had a pretty amazing career on the Toronto scene and touring the world, really. And Gregor and I met because our mutual friend Dave Bedini helps run this hockey tournament on Wolf Island. Okay, yeah, I've heard of this.

So about five years ago, Gregor and I sort of got reacquainted. I knew him, but not well back in the day. And we were sort of sitting in the corner of this bar, and we both said, oh, we should start a band together. And then I think three years later, I called him and said, hey, you want to start a band together? And so that was Gregor. And then the fourth member and last but certainly not least

is Chris Bennett who's an amazing guitar player about town and has played with me for a few years prior to the band sort of in the duo iterations that I do and yeah these are really sort of musical guys very sort of steeped in the history of Americana, and they're a blast to play with. Cool. So the album, which we briefly mentioned, but let's bang this home, okay? So the album is called Jimmy and the Moon.

That's right. And it's released November 24th, so it's not even out yet. It's not out yet. It comes out next, I guess, 24th, so two Fridays away, basically. Cool. Depending when you play this. I'm going to post it tonight. Oh, cool. You know what? I used, 24th, so two Fridays away, basically. Cool. Depending when you play this.

I'm going to post it tonight. Oh, cool. You know what? I used to be like, overthink it, like, okay, I need to put some gap, because I recorded earlier today, and I used to like, oh, I need a little space between Paul Romanuk and Stephen Stanley, but then at some point, I realized it is what it is. Like, just let it out there, you know? I mean, it's a Netflix world now, right?

Right. That's why people listen when they want to listen, so it's good. Right, and then somebody will be in the mood for jams and somebody will be in the mood for sports media talk and want to know what happened with the Team 1050. Why did that go wrong? And then they can cherry pick. Cool, let me just listen a bit here.

Here we go. There were nights I couldn't make it down here from the second floor here. So I cried And prayed and cursed And put my fist right through the kitchen wall I don't think anybody made it there Tonight Jimmy kept the lights on still If I could get there I would be there

On that corner street That's a female's voice, though. Who's that? It's a woman named Hadley McCall-Faxon. She's a singer from Atlanta who's living on Wolf Island now. Nice little piano. I like it. So this comes out November 24th.

It's called Jimmy and the Moon. I like that title. Maybe because my oldest is James, and I always call him Jimmy James. And all my kids live off at night. In fact, because I'm down here with you, I won't be doing it tonight, but Good Night Moon is a staple, like when the little ones go to bed.

I refer to that in this song, actually. Get out of here. Is it coming up? It was in the first verse. I think it would be funny if you came here to kick out the jams and all ten jams were from Jimmy and the Moon. Nobody's ever done that. Pick their own songs?

No, that's like wearing your own t-shirt. You know what I mean? It's not cool. It's not appropriate. If you wanted me to give people a taste of a second jam from Jimmy and the Moon, which one would you pick? I think maybe the song called Next to Me. We shot a video for it this weekend, so that's our de facto video single song. Oh, we got to do that then. Here's Next to Me. This is also with Hadley let's stay together

let's fall apart I blame the weather I choose to forget I've paid my debts Next to me Where you stand Take my blood, take my hand Rescue me from myself To the past, let it burn in hell Another fire, I'll fall so low

No, I love it, love it. Sounds fantastic. Who did the artwork on this album? Oh, it's an illustrator who's a friend of mine named Matt Daly, whose work I love. He actually did some poster work for Lois and Lo for the 20th anniversary, and I've known him for a lot of years. I used to work in the magazine business and hired him to do a bunch of covers, but yeah,

I'm really happy with what he did. Yeah, it looks cool. You got the Jimmy's Cryin' and The Moon. Jimmy's Cryin', it's like he really sort of captured the story of Jimmy and the moon, which is hopefully apparent from the song, but I'm not totally sure if it is or not. Very good.

Pick up Jimmy and the moon, November 24th, 2017. Now, I know you still make CDs, I guess. This is for, just, people still buy CDs? It's interesting. I really wasn't going to this time around. And then I'm working with Chris Brown's label out of Wolf Island. Chris Brown from formerly of the Bourbon Tabernacle. Right, you have to say that because people will think you're talking about the guy who beat up Rihanna.

Not that Chris Brown. Right, you have to say that because people will think you're talking about the guy who beat up Rihanna. Not that Chris Brown. So Chris, my Chris Brown goes by Hugh Christopher Brown now for I think to escape that sad coincidence. And he, so we're putting this label together and I've lost my train of thought. Well, I always wanted to say that he produced the record and he played all the keyboards on it as well. He's an amazing musician. Speaking of people of the same name, there is another Stephen Stanley making music. Are you aware of this? He's like a gospel guy, I think.

There's him and there's another one, too. There's a couple bands that... There's a young guy, too, that goes by... He actually had, for a while, he had this sort of Stephen Stanley music thing going on. I'm like, okay, pick your own. I've been using that for years right

I mean if you get right down to it there's probably like 10 million Stephen Stanleys in the world but they're all PHs I know that I have a brother

who's a PH but I mean there's a lot of Vs out there the Vs are out there too but all the singers are PHs I identify more with the PHs

I don't know why that is. Absolutely. Brunt's a PH. Simmons is a V. Those are my Steve's. That's fantastic. I'm glad we got to share some of that. We're about to kick out the jams, but first

I have some gifts for you. That's cool. It's not just jams we kick out here. This is beautiful. That's Great Lakes Brewery has a six- gifts for you. Oh, that's cool. It's not just jams we kick out here. This is beautiful. That's Great Lakes Brewery has a six-pack for you. That's awesome. Thank you. Take that home with you. Enjoy it.

I will. But if you need a... What part of the city do you live in? I'm East End. I'm in the sort of upper beaches, as they say. Upper beaches, yeah. Another East Ender. That's what Romanuk is.

He's an East Ender too. Oh, so he's, because I remember Toronto Life, before he moved to England, ran a story about his house because his house was apparently quite interesting.

And that's going, this is way back. I don't know why. Okay, where was that house? Do you remember? I think it was in the beaches. Yeah, probably, because he talked about Stoney's,

the whole, like, I guess Stoney's is gone, but that was his go-to, his go-to bar. Yeah. He misses Stoney's. There are Stoney's is gone, but that was his go-to bar. Yeah. He misses Stoney's. There are some... I haven't played them myself, but there are some good live bars along there.

Like Castro's does good live music. Cool. Cool, cool. So you're going to need... When you pour your Great Lakes beer there, you're going to need a pint glass. Now, I didn't... That's what I get for recording two episodes in the same day. But do you see the pint glasses in that?

So you can grab one if you like because it's all yours. That's courtesy of Brian Gerstein at propertyinthesix.com. Oh, that's really nice. And it's really, it's not even, you know, I always say, you know, Brian, you didn't have to get such good pint glasses, you know, but he wanted to go big

or go home and he's got these quality pint glasses. So let's hear from Brian himself. Propertyinthe6.com Brian Gerstein here, sales representative with PSR Brokerage. With the country's bank regulator tightening the mortgage rules effective January 1st for all lenders, this will have a huge impact as it will affect those buyers with a down payment of 20% or more who were previously exempt. In January, expect your affordability to also drop by 20%. You can call me at 416-873-0292 for more information on the changes, as I fully expect a Russia

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I highly recommend a conversation with Brian. I have another gift for everybody listening. You can take advantage of this too, Stephen, but this is for everybody. But I got 10 bucks for everybody.

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Stephen, I have one question for you. Right on. Are you ready to kick out the jams? I am ready to kick out the jams? I am ready to kick out the jams. Let's do it. Out of this world Out of this mind Out of this love for you Out of this world

Out of the blue Out of this love for you Sometimes I don't know you That's the band, Out of the Blue. It's just the Blue. It's just the best. That song completely escaped me for a lot of years because it's not really on a record. It's part of the last waltz,

the recorded material from the last waltz. But about a year ago, it was a year ago, my daughter studies drama at Rosedale Heights and they did a situational play that was their main project for the year and the very last scene in the show they played Mary Margaret O'Hara's cover of this I think it's Mary Margaret O'Hara and and um who's who's with her oh man I I should know that. Anyways, I was like, I was almost in tears listening to this cover while the, well, which at the end of this play, that was really

good. They do a really nice job there at Risto. Um, and went and hunted this song down again, because like the band, the band to me is the perfect band. Like they, they, I mean, I know they had their problems personally and as as individuals they all went through some trouble, and Robbie kind of came out and is able to sort of paint his story of it now because the other guys are all gone for the most part, except for Garth. But as a musical entity, like, the perfect band. Like, everybody pulling in the same direction, and as sort of an end of a career song,

like just before Robbie left the band, this is as good a song as there ever was. You know, I'm not your psychiatrist, but the band did, you know, they did back up Ron Hawkins. That's true. you know, they did back up Ron Hawkins. That's true. I think you now are my psychiatrist.

That's all there is to it. Wait till Friday. I just had a text while you were talking. I read it. It is John Gallagher. And John Gallagher, Spike Gallagher, he wrote a book and I got it behind me here. And I've been reading it the last two days and he's coming on Friday.

I have to tell you, I'm going to be his psychiatrist and I've got it behind me here. I've been reading it the last two days, and he's coming on Friday. I have to tell you, I'm going to be his psychiatrist because I've read this book, and I've got it all figured out. I'm going to lay it down for him Friday. So that's what I'm going to start doing on this podcast, psychoanalysis. I've met him a couple of times, and he's a ball of energy. I mean, apparently he's sober now. I'm sorry to detract. That was a beautiful song. I'm sorry about the John Gallagher interruption here.

He's sober now, and he's very forthright about this in his book about how much coke went up his nose in the 80s. And my first thought is, this is sober John Gallagher. What was he like when he was wired? Like I said, I met him a couple times. That's the best way to describe him, wired.

But fun, like a funny guy. Oh, man. Yeah, he's had a very fun life. But yeah, I'm sure that's a coincidence that you chose a band song. And it is a different Ron Hawkins, right? It's a different Ron Hawkins. And the whole thing of his, what's it called, Hawkstone up on Stony Lake.

And some of our good friends have a cottage up there. And we went and boated up by it this summer. And it's on the market and then constantly dropping in price. And I don't know what happened in the end. But it sort of bums me out because there's a real sort of nice chunk of Canadian musical history that's probably just going to become a lot of cottages. And John Lennon, he visited

there. You name it. Rush made a record there. John Lennon stayed there for a few days. I had never been in the place. I don't know Ronnie Hawkins, but the pictures on the wall apparently tell the stories of everybody that's been up there. I actually have a buddy

who's been there. Fred from the Humble and Fred show. pictures on the wall apparently tell the stories of everybody that's been up there. I actually have a buddy who's been there. Wow. Fred from the Humble and Fred Show. Oh, really? Speaking of Edge 102 playing a lot of Lowest of the Low back in the day. But yeah, he's been there. But yeah, very cool. That was a great jam.

And let's hear your second jam. Now as he sits in the back of the grey caravan Tomorrow he'll probably jump In Parisian metro barriers With a bottle in his hands Sparkling, sparkling water Mixed with peach, yeast and rum Honestly, I don't drink But if I did, this would be My favourite punch

He said Mmm Mmm Mmm Woke out the door With air, you could see air Mm, mm, mm Woke out the door with her, you could see everyone Dressed in black, her glasses seemed too far, too fixed She said, look at you, look at you, the game is over Your cup is full, your cup is full. Stop praying for more exposure.

It is obvious that you're trying to do best up while you die. You're pretending, but no one is buying. London, London, London is calling you. What are you waiting for? What are you searching for? What a voice. Wow. And that's Benjamin Clementine. Benjamin Clementine. He's a... London. He's, yeah, amazing. This one's a fairly new one for me we we started recording

the record about a year and a half ago and the first four days we went to Wolf Island to start on the second night we'd finished and Chris Brown put this record on and I was like holy crap what is this I'd never heard a note before and like bought it when I got home and listened to it voraciously ever since I mean the whole record's fantastic and he's one of those this man is one of those voices that just

is like maybe the best thing I've ever heard later we're gonna play a Nina Simone song and she sort of falls into that category for me too like just like The greatest voices of all time. And this guy, I just literally can't wait to... He came and he just before I found out who he was and started listening, he came and played the Old Mill. The Old Mill?

I'd bike by it every day. Honestly, what I would have given to have been there, but I didn't know. I wonder what capacity is there, like 150 people? It can't be much more, right? Wow. What are you waiting for? What are you searching for? Landing, landing, landing is all in you Why are you denying the truth? I might, I might, I might be boring you He said, although it's not clear as the morning dew

My preferred ways are not happening I won't underestimate Who I am Capable of becoming Oh, nice. The Old Mill. It's unbelievable. It's unbelievable. I gather they do like a jazz sort of show there,

and I don't know what the circumstances were. I guarantee you the next time he comes, it won't be at the Old Mill. It's going to be playing somewhere much bigger. I know they have a nice brunch there. I've been to the brunch. They've got a nice side of beef. Yeah.

I went to one time, this is many, many years ago, I went to an Easter brunch there, and I realized like I had just basically, I just spent like whatever, I spent 50 bucks for like a lot of like uh scrambled eggs like I realized like I don't I don't need the all-you-can-eat brunch but the very nice venue it's a good place to get married a lot of people get married there I'm sure I used to before uh lowest low took off I was working for a publishing company in

Etobicoke not far from here actually and uh the first year I was there, they had the Christmas party at the Old Mill. And I think the year after that was the year the economy sort of tanked and the Christmas party the next year was in the cafeteria. The Old Mill party was like, whoa, this is crazy. They pulled out all the stops.

Well, when I was a kid, and I don't know how to describe it, but there's the really old part of the Old Mill where it got burned down, I guess, like 150 years ago or something. And it was just standing there like hollow and like burned out. And it was like that when I was a kid.

And then at some point, I guess, they built an actual like inn on top of this old brick or whatever. So like now, of course, now when I bike by it, you know, it's all finished or whatever. But I always think back when I was a kid, how eerie it was to have this shelled out. Like it just looked like it had, what had, I guess, burnt down at some point.

Toronto has had a few of those sort of landmarks, like the white elephant on Bayview that's gone now. And what's the place in the Scarborough Bluffs that apparently somebody's rebuilding now? Oh, I don't know. You've gone east of Yonge. I don't know. The hotel. Yeah.

The other side, right? That's right. I'm very familiar with the other side. That's where I'm trying to get to know the other side better. Let's hear your third jam. Sure. Here we go. I've always been impressed with a girl who could see For her suffering and breakfast as well

That's the way I am Heaven help me He said we don't like pinks campaigners round here He's nailed another one to the wall And that's what gets me in trouble Heaven help me Goodbye and good luck To all the promises you've broken

Goodbye and good luck To all the rubbish that you've spoken Your life has lost its dignity Its beauty and its passion You're an accident Billy Bragg, Accident Waiting to Happen. I mean, I literally could pick from about 10 Billy Bragg, Accident Waiting to Happen. I literally could pick from about 10 Billy Bragg songs. This one is significant to me because in 2001, we did our sort of reunion tour. We played at the amphitheater, and Billy opened for us, and we asked his manager if he'd want to do a song with us.

And he said yes, and we picked this one. And when he showed up at the venue, he was like, oh, yeah, yeah. And he asked us to teach him his song again, because he hadn't played it in a lot of years. So it was amazing, and I think there's a video on YouTube, you can see the performance. So I think for that reason alone, this one has always meant a lot to me. The cool thing about this record is

is he said the secret to this whole album was that he record he wrote all the songs and dropped detuning i was he's a cool guy to talk to because he always gives you little uh tips i met up with him at the horseshoe this time around and uh he's now he's now uh playing everything um a tone down from where he used to just just to preserve his voice. Well, this is why I like it when musicians kick out the jams, because you get insight like that. You know, that's great. He's a wonderful guy. He's a really, really, really friendly man. And like I said, any one of probably ten songs that could be a top one for me.

When Romanuk visited earlier today, I played a New England, the Kirstie McCall. Kirstie McCall. But there's a version I have from Billy Bragg as well. I have a Kirstie McCall and a Billy Bragg, and I needed to pick one quick, and I figure I will do Kirstie because we're about to be inundated with a fairy tale from New York.

From New York or of New York? Of New York, yeah. Of New York. From New York or of New York? Of New York, yeah. Of New York. With the Pogues there. But that's a great jam, too. Yeah, I think the moratorium lifts on American Thanksgiving and then it's...

I think it might be Remembrance Day. I'm not sure. I must admit, I haven't heard much Christmas music yet this year. So that's... I mean, I love it

when it's in the season, but this is a bit early still. You know what I just realized? What the big sign is when the CHFIs and stuff go nuts is the Santa Claus Parade. So I think that's this coming weekend. This weekend. Yeah, so. Get ready for Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney. Boy, that song gets a bad rap, eh?

Nobody likes it. It's true. Poor Paul. Poor Paul. Poor Paul. He'd forget all his other work. By the way, that's... Dude, put out a Christmas album and you will get, like, spins

at least every December, right? Seems to be the case. Although I know a few people that have put out Christmas albums that kind of went nowhere, too, so... I guess it's hit and miss. But yeah, that's great. Billy Bragg.

Now this next jam, I have to leave my soundboard. So give me a second here. All right. Let's kick out. And remember, I need a good 10-minute story from you on this one.

Let's kick out your next jam. Thank you. The beauty parlor is filled with sailors. The circus is in town. Here comes the blind commissioner. They've got him in a trance. One hand is tied to the tightrope walker. The other is in his pants. And the riot squad, they're restless. They need somewhere to go.

As Lady and I look out tonight from Desolation Road. from Desolation Row. Bob Dylan, Desolation Row. I don't know how you listen to music in general, but I listen to things. I'll pick something and I'll focus on it for a long period of time

and never has a song stayed in my headphones or on my turntables or whatever as long as this one. And it was actually, I like this version, but there's a version from the Blue Legs series that was recorded at the Albert Hall. It's just him and an acoustic guitar and a harmonica that is like the most haunting piece of music. And it's probably actually longer than 10,

this one, probably longer than 10 minutes. But good segue with Billy Bragg because at his show at the horseshoe recently he was talking about this song and i've i've read a bunch of things about the the lyrics of this song and they sort of sort of just term them as beautiful nonsensical sensical you know word slam together for the sake of but bill Billy said that the first verse, the line, they're selling postcards of the hanging, was very much rooted in sort of the racist Deep South, and that actually happened, that when people would be hung, when they would hang black people,

they would take pictures and sell postcards out as souvenirs. And the way he positioned it in the show was like the most haunting moment i've ever seen in the horse you're just talking about that and being so familiar with the song and i've never started hearing that story before it's like of course billy bragg is the one that tells this story it's like just the best but i don't know this is just a this is just an amazing lyric and like you can hear this song about seven different ways, and it works every way.

And it's Bob Dylan. And literally no other artist has spent more time in my household. You can ask my daughters about that. They can't stand Dylan anymore because they've played him so much. I was going to ask you, how many times have you seen Dylan live? Probably in the neighborhood of nine, something like that. I did see a run. When I was a kid, I was an usher at Massey Hall,

so I saw a ton of shows there. That's cool. Yeah. I saw a three-night run of the Slow Train Coming Tour and then just scattered out across his career here and there. I just saw him this past uh i guess it was spring in oshawa and it was one of the best shows i've ever let me rephrase one of the best shows i've ever seen he was there the band was great he was great

and it really seems like they've locked into this set list that flows from one to the next and it was it was an inspiring night i went went with Chris Bennett for my band, and it was freaking awesome. You get mixed reviews when you talk to people who see Dylan live. Like sometimes you'll get a review like you just gave, which is like this living legend, what an amazing, whatever.

He did three hours. It was unbelievable, whatever. And then sometimes you get like, I couldn't tell what song he was playing. He is hit and miss i i sort of reading the reviews from this tour it seems like he's focused in right now um you know i i guess uh probably about 11 years ago i as i said dylan was a staple in our house and still is when when my daughters were young it was always on so i took my daughter who's 20, she was nine at the time,

to see Dylan at the ACC, and the Foo Fighters opened up. So the Foo Fighters knocked her socks off, like she had the time of her life. And then Dylan came out, and about six songs in, she gives me the sleeve top and says, can we go home now? And I couldn't argue with it. It was a really, really flabby show that night. It was just kind of all over the map. But it's a beautiful ride, though.

You don't know what you're going to get. And right now, he's like, holy cow, that band is as good as a band can get. And there's something almost very rock and roll about that, not knowing what you're going to get. It's like you're gambling. It's kind of exciting. I think with Dylan, you know one thing. You're not going to get what you want

because he's abandoned the arrangements of everything the way they were written. But he really has always done that. Like the Hard Rain's Going to Fall live record, the same deal. He's kind of rearranged everything. Now it's really gone to extremes. Like you said, there are songs that take you

before the second chorus where you know he's singing. but now that i've been through a few of these sort of you know more sort of blues delta blues based shows i know what's coming so yeah it was amazing it's great that he's uh he's so active because i'm like i got a buddy down the street i think it was peterborough or something like where you know it's like he's just out there touring and not just you know Peterborough he's out there

playing everywhere you know the Oshawa show there was probably 5,000 people there that's crazy right he's flying below under the radar almost

and then it's like doing casinos doing like you know minor league hockey arenas is he going to do the Old Mill soon because that's the show

I want to go to I've got to be there if that happens and actually I think it looks like his days of playing guitar are over hockey arena. Is he going to do the Old Mill soon? Because that's the show I want to go to. I've got to be there if that happens. Actually, I think it looks like his days of playing guitar are over, but if he ever decided to sort of strap on an acoustic and do a Massey Hall slide show, that would be a treat for sure.

Yeah, most definitely. Over the years, I've seen good ones and I've seen bad ones for sure. But it's all him. It's all worth the ride I studied film in university and I had a professor

who said he showed a film one time I won't remember the name of the film because it wasn't very good and it was they would show these films as part of the course but at 7 o'clock at night and at this particular one because the film wasn't good I would say maybe 20 of the students in my at 7 o'clock at night. And at this particular one, because the film wasn't good,

I would say maybe 20 of the students in my class got up and left halfway through. And the next day, the entire class was him reaming us out because he said, this isn't optional. He said, I don't show any of these films. He said, as a film student, you never walk out of a film. There's something to be learned and something to appreciate. And that's kind of the same going to see a show like that, right?

Stick around, something crazy might happen. Have you ever, and you've been to a lot of shows, so I'm going to guess the answer might be yes here, but have you ever on your own left a show early?

Or do you make a point to stick it out whenever possible? I usually will stick it out. There's been circumstances. My wife got really sick at a play back show once. Okay, yeah, that's extenuating circumstances.

Sure. Have I, there's certainly shows that I've left before the encore or something like that. I mean, that's just, sometimes you're just

exhausted or whatever. Sure. Or you stood for four hours. Would you stay at a, are you a baseball fan by any chance? I am a baseball fan. Like, would you stay at a, if it was 19-0,

heading into the bottom of the ninth at the Dome. I would stay. But 19-0 for the other guys, the Houston Astros, you would stick it out? I would stay. I stuck it out. Yeah, I have left some baseball games just because we're going to a show afterwards or something.

No, I'm kind of a state of the end guy. I like to hear that. Me too. Speaking of staying to the end, I have a rule. I'm not ever fading out a tune. This song has to end. But what gets me is it's great. I can't get over the length though. What is the official length?

11 minutes and 20 seconds. I think it's like 17 verses I think or something like that. And the beauty of a Dylan song is there's no bridge, right? It's just the same repeated verse and chorus over and over and over again, and it works. It's funny,

I find this one is the earliest recorded version of it, I think, and I find the arrangement on the guitars are great, but they're a bit pristine for where this song ended up going over the years. I wish you had told me there was a specific version you were interested in. I would have sourced it out.

We've been talking longer. I think that one goes on for like 18 minutes. But yeah, if you do get a chance, look it up. It's the Bootleg Series recorded at Albert's Hall and it's disc two that does it with all the acoustic stuff. Sorry, disc one with all the acoustic stuff.

That's the same show where the band ends up backing him up and the guy yells out, Judas. It all comes back to the band. Well, I mean, as it should, right? I mean, there you go. Like the history of Dylan with the band, too. It was like, I mean, just isolate that and talk about all the great music that was made, right? I mean, there you go. Like the history of dealing with the band too. It was like, I mean, just isolate that and talk about all the great music

that was made, right? It's just amazingly prolific time. The full crowd got their pitchforks and rioted. This is the last

version. About the time the door now broke When you asked me how I was doing Was that some kind of joke? All these people that you mention Yes, I know them, they're quite lame I had to rearrange their faces And give them all another name Right now I can't read too good Don't send me no more letters, no

Not unless you mail them from Desolation Road. If Chris Bennett or Gregor Barish were here, they'd be able to tell you every person playing on this song, which I can't, but they would be able to tell you that. And they'd have plenty of time to do it, too. I love it. Tell you their current addresses. There's a guy down the street who just had a baby

and named the baby Dylan, and of course, after Bob Dylan. So even in 2017, people are naming their children after Bob Dylan. There's probably never been a bigger star, a bigger poet, writer. You know, sometimes when we lose legends like David Bowie or whatnot, and then you think, okay, that's a terrible loss. It is absolutely a terrible loss, as we'll hear soon.

But what happens when Dylan goes? Yeah, I don't know. It's funny because he's sort of created a niche for himself like i think he's lost a lot of his populism over the last little while so yes it'll be i mean for people like you and i it's going to be a massively i mean honestly there's been so many of musical legends that have died in the last 12 12 months i mean can we take any any more? But it's going to happen, and it's inevitable, right? But he may outlive us all, just keep touring. Well, Keith Richards is still going.

Another amazing story. But Dylan just seems to live on his bus. He just doesn't seem to stop, except when they go into the studio and make a record. Fascinating. Let's kick out, speaking of David Bowie, let's kick out another jam. You get the cool intro too.

Especially if the headphones are on. This is Andy Warhol and it's take one. Now it's take one. It's Warhol, actually. What does that say? Hole. It's hole. As in holes. Andy Warhol.

Huh? Andy Warhol. Andy Warhol. Like hole. Andy Warhol. Like hope. Andy Warhol. Take one. Ah. You ready? Yeah.

Ha ha ha ha ha! I'd like to take a seaman fix Biggest standing cinema Dress my friends up just for show See them as they really are Put the people in my brain Two new pens to have a go I'd like to be a gallery Put you all inside my show

Andy Warhol looks a scream Had him on my wall Andy Warhol's silver screen Can't tell them apart at all David Bowie, Andy Warhol I mean, I obviously am a very guitar-focused person, but that guitar sound, that 12-string, it doesn't exist anywhere else.

It's just perfect. This Hunky Dory is definitely top five records of all time for me, so I could pick a number of the songs off this record, but this one just kills me. I had to make a decision about the intro, and as I usually do when I have these decisions, is I keep it. I like the cool intro things.

Totally, yeah. That's a part of the song. It's such a cool moment where you sort of hear his voice in the studio. This is where I know that I've done a great job as a father because both my daughters are huge Bowie fans. That's great. I did a terrible job as a father because I tried to do similar, I want to call it brainwashing, I don't know,

but I tried to influence and not to say anything wrong of, because I'm staring at a Public Enemy shirt right now, but all my 15-year-old listens to is rap, like 100% rap, like 100%. That's probably not a big surprise, though, right? That's very much the way music's gone in the last little while. But, you know, I mean, I listen to a lot of rap at his age, actually, but it was like 50-50, like I had rock and rap, and you know what I mean?

But he's 100% rap, so I can't even get him to... So he would listen to this and just wouldn't have any sort of... I could, I mean, I try so hard, you know what I mean but he's a hundred percent rap so I can't even get him to so he would listen to this and just it wouldn't have any sort of I could I mean I try so hard you know the last hip concert for example like he went off and listened to something else like he I just can't get him to buy in but his loss but at least it's it's a it's still a music with a rich history it's not like it's not just like, you know... Like pop. It's not just pop, yeah, which is sort of very throwaway.

There's a lot of people that are raised strictly on... I don't know the names of the disparaged pop bands, but I just like the fact that any kid can sort of look back and sort of understand the history of the music they like and how it developed. And that's... And I mean, what I do like is that I did... So he listened to a lot of like Kendrick Lamar

and a lot of good rap, actually. I'll be honest. He listens to good rap. But I introduced him to Public Enemy and on a dime, he can recite like every word from Bring the Noise, for example. So I was like, there I go. Okay, there, that worked out okay.

That's all right, yeah. That's all right. Those are great records too. Oh yeah. The sampling on those and the James Brown loops and everything, just tremendous

funky drummer stuff. All right, my friend, let's listen to another jam. ¶¶ My car goes to Chicago Every weekend I pick up some cargo I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie Turn the goddamn radio down, thank you Pull over, count the money

But don't count the 30 in the glove box, buddy That's for to buy Lucia some clothes Bang, bang, bang when Frankie's gone He shot me down to seal Bang, bang, bang when Frankie's gone He shot me down to seal He shot me down He shot me down

He shot me down My work zone's double fine Frankie's gun. Is it the Felice brothers? The Felice brothers. Felice brothers. Americana, that's Gun. Is it the Felice Brothers? The Felice Brothers. Felice Brothers. Americana, that's best. We played with them at Turf,

the first year of Turf, and this album, this band completely escaped me, and I have a friend who's a huge Dylan fan and a huge Grateful Dead fan, and I used to just sort of say to him, tell me something, give me a band to listen to.

And he pointed out this song to me and then this whole album's fantastic. I just love it, just love it. And again, my kids love this band too. No, good job, bud. I gotta say, I never heard of Frankie's Gun until you put it on your list and then I listened to it for the first time.

I loved it right away. Like, this track, I've listened to it so many times since then. Oh, that's awesome. I'm glad to hear that, because, like, they still, you know, they come to town on occasion and play Lee's Ballads and The Horseshoe, and they're a real sort of ragtag band. But listen to that. That guy's voice is just... How could you not like this?

Let me kick this up a bit. And I've got to send this to my very good friend, Mark Felice. He's going to love hearing the Felice Brothers. this time Frankie I could have swore to box at Hollywood you see my mama please tell her I left a little rock in a box in a cellar that's for the way the kingdom come bang

bang bang when Frankie's gone he shot me down Lucille bang bang bang when Frankie's gone he shot me down Lucille he shot me down Sha-le-na, sha-le-na Sha-le-na, sha-le-na Sha-le-na, sha-le-na Take your day Nice.

Very good. What a voice. So much of loving a song to me comes from turns of phrase and how a voice sounds. Very Dylan-esque, right? Very much so, yeah. The way he delivers those lines. And yeah, that's a fun track, man.

That's a great track. Let's keep it rolling. Kick out another jam. I saw you on the west side past the stadium in your father's car with your mother's money Trying to find some heroin They'll say things about your girlfriend

That are unkind And your family too Said she'd kill you for a dime But you don't hear a word And no one sees it When you're trying to find some heroin Jesus craves it, the devil plays it Heroin

Ike Reilly assassination I'm not a proponent of the drug by any means, but Ike Reilly is probably a lot more obscure in Canada than he should be. He's a songwriter from Chicago. I've gotten the chance to know him over the years, but has made probably seven of my favorite records of all time. He's a wonderful writer. But this song really resonates with me

because this album came out in 2005, I think, 2004 or 5. And it's in the days of CDs and playing CDs in the car. And this one was always on. And we were driving one day and stopped at a stoplight. And this song is on sort of not too loud. And I'm listening. I'm like, there's another voice singing the lyrics. And in the backseat, my little daughter, seven years old, is singing.

And I knew you wished that she weren't there. I relate so much to that story. Here's my latest problem. Do you see the shirt I'm wearing? Okay. So lately, it's just like, I don't know, when Gord died and stuff, I've been seeing a lot of hip. Sometimes I feel tired, and then I break into this song I'm wearing.

And I got to like, now it's like, if the three-year-old's around, like the baby can't, doesn't know what's going on. And then the two older ones, I don't care what they hear. They hear worse than whatever. But now when the three-year-old's around, I got to make sure I censor myself on this track because he's going to go to daycare and he's going to sing tired as fuck.

Well, that's the part, right? You have to sort of try to, I mean, we never sort of censored language. We sort of figured if we tried to censor it in the home, it didn't matter. So my kids were around language all the time, but we always sort of said there's places where you don't want to use this.

I have actually a great story. Go ahead, yeah. Grade one, my older daughter comes home from school one day and I get home from work and this was sort of in between lowest of low things. My wife says,

Violet has something she wants to tell you. I'm like, oh, really? And she said, yeah, I heard a bad word today. I said, oh, really? What word did you hear? And she said, my friend, one of the boys, said fuck. And I said, oh, well, that's a bad word. And the thing is, you're going to hear that a lot,

but maybe don't use it around your grandparents. Don't use it at school. There's places. And we don to hear that a lot but like maybe like you don't don't use it around your grandparents don't use it at school there's places and like we're not we don't say that a lot here at home either and she goes yeah okay i understand that and so in those days she was using the toronto maple leaves as a ploy with me she could she knew she could stay up a little later if she pretended to like watching the first period of hockey right so the first period ended and she goes up to her bedroom and then she comes back down and goes, Dad, can we read a book tonight? And I said, well, honey, you stayed up another 45 minutes later because of the hockey game.

So let's just go to bed and we won't read tonight. And she turns around and goes, oh, fuck. So I realized not only did she hear the word, she understood how to use the word in the same day. This is a genius. You know what? It's funny. Your philosophy is very similar to mine, she understood how to use the word in the same day. I was like, this is a genius. You know what? And it's funny. Your philosophy is very similar to mine, which is it's not the content. It's the context.

So fuck is a good example. There's lots of uses. Obviously, you can't bring it to daycare and can't say it around grandma or whatever. But there's lots of, you know, fuck is a perfect example, actually, in context. Leafs, you know, like the team scores in overtime. Leafs lose. Fuck. You know what I mean?

There's certain fucks that aren't allowed and certain fucks are okay in certain settings. It's just a word. I just was putting this album up on IndiePool and they make quite big... I don't think I have any swear words on this album this time around, but they make a lot of overtures

that if you don't identify it, we'll be pulling you. And I sort of think, I get that in the context of, I guess, the American South or something like that, but boy,

what a misguided notion that is. There's a song now, my daughter, because my daughter does like a lot of pop music and my 13-year-old and she's listening to a song where the lyric is,

it's a very, very popular song on stations like The Move or whatever and it's something like popping pills, something about popping is, it's a very, very popular song on stations like The Move or whatever. And it's something like popping pills, something about popping pills. And it's censored. And I'm sure it's the artist who censored it

for radio edit. I'm sure it's not the station. But they're censoring popping pills. So they're taking out the main line of the song? Yeah. So the song, I guess, and it's a funny thing, I told her this.

This is yesterday going to her ortho appointment. We're listening to the censored or whatever. And I said, I liked Everlast. Okay. Do you remember Whitey Sings the Blues? Yeah. And he had one of his big hits,

the radio edit. It was, the song was about, I knew this kid named Max. He's a fast tax on the court of drugs. Smoking, smoked finest greens or something. It was a line.

And that's the album version. But when you heard it on the radio, it was self-censored. Like he, yeah, they wouldn't say Smoked Finest Greens. So like any allusions to like smoking marijuana or popping pills, it seems to be removed from these pop songs.

During the Clinton administration, the VP's wife was a big proponent of censorship. But when you sort of, I mean, I don't know this popping pill song you're talking about, but how absurd is that in the context of the world we live in oh i know it's absurd it's a it's absolutely absurd no you gotta get as as a as a humanity we've got to get over that stuff and just i'm with you brother let's kick out another jam Broken windows and empty hallways A pale dead moon in a sky streaked with gray

Human kindness Is overflowing And I think it's gonna rain Today Scarecrows dressed In the latest styles With frozen faces to keep love away Humankind else is overflowing

And I think it's gonna rain today I feel bad talking over this one but Nina Simone I think it's gonna rain today which is I believe written by Randy Newman right? I think that's the case

she certainly did songs some more sort of traditional blues and some of the things that she wrote were amazing too, but this is from a collected album of covers she did and the album's incredible and it was very much a part of life

for me that I remember very well, but it again comes back to the voice. A friend of mine was traveling in France in probably the early 2000s and came home and said, oh, I saw Nina Simone in this little club, and I was like, what? She was playing with this little sort of 50-seater club,

and I'm like, holy cow. I almost attacked him. I was so jealous. I never saw her play, so I don't have that experience. That's in the Netflix doc, if you get Netflix or whatever. Yeah, I've seen it. It's fantastic. It's just such a troubled life for such an amazing, pure artist. The signs implore me

Help the needy And shove them away Humankind Is overflowing And I think it's gonna rain today I hope it's gonna rain today Yeah I hope it's gonna rain today

Yeah I hope it's gonna rain today, yeah. I think it's gonna rain today, yeah. And an amazing piano player too. Just when you knocked at my door today, Randy Newman was playing on the TV because the kids were watching Toy Story. Randy Newman's all over that thing. I'll have to double check that, but I think that was his song.

I know we have one song on the record, and I believe that was it. And Nina Simone, of course, name dropped in the great Ready or Not rap. What's the woman's name from Fuji's? My wife saw her in concert. Oh, it's going to kill me. I can't remember right now. But it's Nina Simone, defecating on your microphone.

It's like one of the greatest rhymes from Ready or Not, the Fugees. All right, that was fantastic. Lauren Hill, right? Lauren Hill, yeah. Does that ever happen to you? Oh, yeah. I blank on names.

But Lauren Hill, I'm picturing her head, I can hear her, I'm like, oh, my wife just saw her at the Molson Amphitheater, she's in the Fugees,

she's a famous musician, I think she married a Marley and Lauryn Hill. I was blanking on Benjamin Clementine before you, until you said his name. Oh,

I called him Clementine too. You know why? I have a box of Clementines upstairs. Let's kick out another jam. All sleep safely All sleep safely Thy, my, son is mine His father for the cannons And the guilty ones can all sleep safely

All sleep safely And all the world is football shaped It's just for me to kick his face And I can see his melted taste And I've got one, two, three, four, five Since he's working overtime Trying to take it solid I've got one, two, three, four, five Extasy. Extasy. Sense is working overtime.

This is a band that was, I actually saw them play twice when I was younger, which was pretty cool because they stopped touring. Right around this record, I think, was their last time they ever played live. This album and all their records are vinyl only for me. I don't have any of it digitally, so this is like, I want to listen to this.

I listened to it on the turntable, which is amazing. This record, I mean, the whole record's great, but this song is just a beautiful arrangement, beautiful, beautiful lyrics. And all the world is biscuit-shaped It's just for me to feed my face And I can see his smell, touch, taste And I've got one, two, three, four, five

Senses moving overtime Trying to take this all in And I've got one, two, three, four, five Senses moving over time Trying to taste the tingles Between a lemon and a lime Pain and pleasure And the church bells

Something shines Is this the album with Dear God on it? No, Dear God was one after this, I believe. This is English Settlement. It's a double vinyl. Andy Partridge is also a really great follow on Twitter. He's a very sort of tell-it-like-it-is guy, which I quite like.

What venues did you see these guys at? At the Concert Hall and Massey Hall when I was working at Massey Hall. Massey Hall must have been on this tour. Concert Hall was around making plans for Nigel. Drums and Wires. I used to dream, I used to think the best job in the world would be a movie theater usher or something.

You could see all the movies for free, I used to think. This was when I was really young. But now I realize I was... Massey Hall, that's where you want to be in that shit. It was a spectacular job. And they really did encourage us to stay and watch the shows.

And the other thing that was really cool is we got to see all the sound checks. So that was the only one artist. Take a guess at the one artist that actually had their own security to keep the Massey Hall staff out of the sound check. Prince. Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan.

Prince may have too, but those were after my days there. I'm trying to think. Who's like the guy? I remember he had some memo where he said, don't make eye contact or whatever. That's Dylan, yeah. That holds today. I've had friends experience that way.

Mr. Dylan's walking through now. Please turn your eyes to the ground. What's that about, man? I don't know. David Letterman was the same, apparently. Really? Yeah. That one, that hurts to hear that.

Well, it's funny because like, it does hurt to hear it, but I think in the same breath, if you know, every band comes in and every roadie wants to come up to him and tell him how funny he thinks he is, maybe that,

maybe kind of wears you out. Yeah, maybe, but maybe we find like some middle ground between not making eye contact and not like, yeah, going up and telling him that,

you know, you love him and, yeah, all that jazz, but. Agreed. I noticed that you sent me that note before you came by. I said, don't make eye contact.

And I told you, forget it now. I'm making eye contact. It's a deal breaker. Now, this will be your 10th and final jam, but there's a bonus jam. There's a bonus jam. So don't bail at the end of this jam. You don't miss the bonus jam. Now, for canon, so we, Tyler Campbell's a gentleman who's maintaining like a de facto list of everyone's jams.

Oh, cool. And it's all in Google Documents, and it's really cool. So this next jam will be, of course, part of your 10 jams. And then the jam we play after is not officially canon. Like, that's not one of your jams. We're just playing it and talking about it. As an extra bonus. So that's cool.

Good. I just want to make that clear for Tyler. I'm making it clear for Tyler. All right. Let's kick out this final jam. They cried their tears, they shed their tears Up and down the line They stole guitars, all used guitars So the tape would understand

Without even the slightest note All the thousands said Just as if, as if there was It's still in the UK Just as if, as if there was Hitsville, UK I know the boy was all alone Till the Hitsville hit UK Remember

The Clash, Hitsville, UK And where does this sit in your pantheon of Clash songs? Does it register at all? No. In fact, when I listened to it, I wanted to find out who she was. So I started doing my digging and I discovered who she was. And then I had this whole, like, it all comes together moment because the last guy who kicked out the jams, Brad Faye,

he had a song from Bad Out of Hell. Meatloaf's Bad Out of Hell. He had Two Out of Three Ain't Bad. And I just recently revisited that album because I listened to it a lot when I worked at The X

back in like 89. It was on like repeat on the Ghetto Blaster or whatever. Can you call it a Ghetto Blaster or a Boombox, I guess? Boombox, no. Yeah, Boombox, yeah.

We call it a Ghetto Blaster. But this woman we're hearing now is the woman from Paradise by The Dashboard. Boombox, I guess. Boombox, no. Yeah, Boombox, yeah. We called it a ghetto blaster. This woman we're hearing now is the woman from Paradise by the Dashboard. What's her name? Ellen Foley. She was married to Mick Jones, and I suspect this was... It's interesting. I'm trying to remember if that marriage predates the Meat... Probably after the Meatloaf album.

She's on a couple songs on Combat Rock, too. She was great. She had her own records as well. This song just, I mean, no, is it the best Clash song? I'm not even sure that's true, but I have this sort of thing where when I really like a song,

I want to eventually cover it, and this is probably one of the last that I haven't covered with a band yet. And I just think this is the greatest song. And Nick Jones is kind of a hero to me. Everything he did in The Clash, as an arranger, as a writer, just, he's amazing. And Big Audio Dynamite, same thing. I love those records as well. There's an album she recorded which they say

is essentially a Clash album. I don't remember the name of this album, but when I was doing my dive. Yes, I vaguely know what you're talking about. I wish I had taken better notes. She's the Clash's

Christy McCall. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I wish I had taken better notes. She's the Clash's Christy McCall. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a good comparison actually. And I like it like these rock bands, I like it when you put a bit of a female voice in the mix, you know what I mean? It really does kind of create a nice juxtaposition and I really like it. Absolutely. And even your new album, that's the first thing I noticed, it was nice to have a female

voice in there. Three, actually, three women sing on that record. Hadley you heard on the tracks we played before and a woman named Sarah McDermott is singing on a few songs and then the last song on the album is a duet with Kate Fenner, who used to be in the Bourbons, and played with the hip as well. And that album, by the way, if people have forgot, that album is called Jimmy and the Moon. Right on.

And that's out November 24th. Oh, really quick, before I forget, because we're about to play the bonus track. Andrew Stokely says hi. His wife worked with you at Strategy Magazine. So we didn't work together. She might have been at a car company at that point. Ford?

Yeah, so we worked on a cover together. Okay. A couple, I think, actually. Yeah, so I don't even know if I've ever actually met Andrew in person, but we talk online often. Yeah. Kerry, I believe, is his wife's name. Yeah, Kerry Stokely, yeah.

Right. And if I'd forgotten to say hi from Andrew, I would hear about it. So he shut down my microphones, I think. And you also know Mike, right? Mike, who I didn't know until I opened for Bob Mould and met Mike Moniz. Which Mike?

Moniz, M-O-N-Z. Oh, yeah, yeah. I've never met him, but yeah. He and I chat all the time. He's a big time fan. He's going to listen to this episode for sure. But when I have any musician on, he's crazy.

But anytime I mention anything Hamilton, that's a big deal for Mike. He's a hammer. Yeah, we had a really nice talk at the Bob Mouldrow, which was cool. I wonder if this is weird to call people out by whole names on your podcast.

I don't think so. I think it's cool. Well, he'll let us know. I think he'll get off on it. That's pretty cool. Now, okay, there's your 10 jams. Fantastic. Thank you very much. This jam, we're going to play it. I almost want to play it in its entirety, and maybe then we'll come back and talk about it.

But let's hear this jam, bonus jam. We'd line up cans on the picnic table In the backyard across the lawn You stood soaking wet in your bathing suit Taking deadly aim with your BB gun Soaking wet in your bathing suit. Taking deadly aim with your BB gun. You are a natural. Kissed by the sun. by the sun You are unnatural You've just begun

With every can you'd hit You'd smile the thinnest smile You'd barely savor the applause Or the jealousy of all the older ones Just before you calmly killed a ten-year pause Calmly, kinder, can you pause? You are unnatural There in the sun You are unnatural Of course, this is Gore Downey, A Natural. I'll probably miss those days While away with you spent on nothing much Watching you shoulder things, take deadly aim

Your finger on the trigger, your gentle touch You are unnatural You've only just begun You are a natural I'm the lucky one I'm the lucky one I love you I love you What do you say? I don't know. This album is beautiful.

And that doesn't sound like somebody who is at the end of their life. It kind of blows me away. That's like sort of back-to-back with a song called Spoon, that back-to-back two of the best songs I've heard in a long time. So, yeah. So that's a bonus track only because being so new, it's sort of hard to say this is one of, you know, the top ten songs of all time,

and that's what you asked me to put together. But I thought it was just because, like, you know, since the album came out, since the day it came out, I've been listening to it nonstop. It might be cool to give it a spin and point it out. Yeah, it's weird. Losing him and losing Tom Petty suddenly at pretty much the same time, it's a hard thing to reconcile.

And how did he do that? How did he do that? Given what he was going through, how did he do that? How did he do that? Given what he was going through, how did he do that? I don't know. I don't know. I watched that, the Secret Path concert.

I watched it on CBC. In fact, right behind you is the latest addition to the studio is that's the Jeff, Jeff Lemire or Jeff Lemire.

I can never know how to say the last name, but it's his print, the $50 print where all the proceeds go to the Jenny Wenjack Foundation. And yeah, it's a beautiful illustration of Gord.

But that Secret Path concert, watching that, that's about a year before he passes Gord. And he sounded great. It's hard to believe. And that's after the documentary Long Time Running, which was August. And it's just unbelievable. It's unbelievable. Like, it's unbelievable. When you see in the documentary

where he started after the surgery and where he got to. Yeah, when he had the full beard and you realize they've removed like a substantial part of his brain. And yeah, and then you realize, yeah, how far he came and how good he sounded at his last show

and how good he sounded in The Secret Path and how good he sounds on this album. It's unbelievable. And honestly, like Kevin Drew that did the production on this and on the last hip record, they're fantastic sounding records. So yeah, it's hard, man. It's like

those songs will be around forever, for sure. It's hard to understand how it all goes down. In Gord, we trust. This song's by a band, by the way. You should check out. Thanks for doing this, Stephen. I can't get on the guest list. That's my problem. I can probably hook you up, actually.

Thank you for having me. What a fun time. No, that was amazing. And those were great jams. And the Felice Brothers, man. I seriously have a very close friend with the last name Felice. And I don't think he knows the Felice Brothers exist. And that track, Frankie's Gun, I can't stop playing it. So this is some great jams you've introduced me to. That's the best part about it.

You just find something new and then, you know, there's a whole catalog of music there. You might, their albums are great. That's why I love this series. Like, I just love cool guys like you come down here, guys and gals, and play me your favorite songs and one or two of those

end up in my go-to listen repertoire and it's just amazing. I love it. Yeah. And that brings us to the end of our 282nd show.

You can follow me on Twitter. I'm at Toronto Mike. Steven is S Stanley Music. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. Propertyinthesix.com is at Brian Gerstein. And Paytm is at Paytm Canada. See you all next week. 🎵 Music Playing 🎵